Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1887-01-13

w? asked the girl. noticing his ap-
parent disinclination to leave.
Weller. no; but I'm desprit hun
CRY. Dolly. Can't yer git a fsller
somethin' to eat?
Why, yes exclaimed the good
hearted girl. of course / will
She went unsuspectingly toward the
pantry, closely followed by the man.
No sooner had he crossed the thresh-
old, however. than he slammed the
door to with his foot, and sprang like
q tiger at her throat. So sudden was
the onslaught, and so tight his grasp
upon her neck, that she could neither
struggle nor cry out. White with
terror. she sank upon her knees. .-A
Now. girl. cried the ruffian, where
is your fathers money!
She tried to speak, and the man,
seeing that she was unable to do SO,
let go her throat, and seized her by
the wrists.
If you scream he said, I'll kill
you. Where's the money? 1t must
be either that or your life, my pretty
Dolly
Through Dolly's brain the thoughts
flew quickly. Her first paroxysm of
terror over, she began to realize the
necessity of subduing her fears, and
summoning all her wit and resolution.
She was brave girl, and, with her,
to think was to act.
Don't harm me- she said. Faith
ers money is in the oak chest in the
attic
'Ahr exclaimed Billings. SHOW
Toe the way to it, and do you 60 afore
me. 1t will 60 hard with ye if ye lie
to me-
She tremblingly obeyed, and led
The way upstairs. The room at the
he'd of the staircase was occupied as
a lumber room. From this a ladder
lei to the attic, the entrance TO which
was closed by trap-door in the floor.
Though Dolly had lifted this door al
most daily, she failed to do so now
and sank back upon the ladder, feign-
ing exhaustion.
The trap is too heavy for me,' she
said. i cannot raise it.
With an oath the man pulled her
down from the ladder, and, placing
his shoulder against the trap, raised
it, mounted to the attic, and held the
door for her to follow. But like a
fash Dolly had sprung through the
door Of the lumber room, and had
turned the keys in the great double
locks, which, placed there as safe
guard against assault from without.
now served to secure prisoner with
in.
In vain did Billings, on discovering
the trick, hurl himself against the
door with the most frightful impre.
cations. The oaken barrier resisted
his utmost efforts. and the windows
were barred with iron. Without a
weapon or aid from without, escape
was impossible.
Shutting her ears to the mans howls
of rage, Dolly fed down the stairs, and
out into the road. But she had not
run dozer yards, before she heard
shrili whistle, and the voice of Bill
iings calling from the window above
'Cashel! Cashel! Stop the girl.
I'm locked in Bring her back, and
make quick work OF her.
At the call a second rufian sprang
out of the bushes a few rods beyond,
and ran toward her. Dolly turned
about. Terror at this new danger
lent speed to the poor girls feet, and
she succeeded in regaining the door
of the mill. and closing it in the vii.
lain's face while his arm was stretched
forth to seize her. She quickly shot
the great bolts into their places, and
stood for a moment with her hand
upon her hosom, waiting for breath,
and to consider what she should do
next.
Her situation now was a strange
one. Though the captor OF the man
upstairs. she was the prisoner of the
one without. Both were now bent
upon her destruction. Oh that her
father would return. or that some one
would pass by, to whom she might
cry for help! The man at the door
seemed to be fully alive to the latter
danger, for he called out to Billings
to throw out the money, but this Bill
lings resolutely refused to do. Find
ing himself unable to force the door
Cashel passed around the mill. seek
ing some means Of entrance, and fll-
ing the air with curses.
Dolly followed him from one grated